Youth group puts faith in action through service projects

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SALT LAKE CITY – The St. Vincent de Paul Youth group has been making a difference through their monthly service projects.

The youth group is comprised of students who are St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School alumnae, parishioners, friends, neighbors and community members “who wanted to do something for others,” said Jason Caywood, who together with his wife Melissa formed the youth group.

More than 10 years ago the Caywoods wanted to form a youth group, but “we just couldn’t make it stick,” Jason said. Then, last year, members of the current graduating class of the parish school said yes to the group. Since November, they have met regularly and every month have undertaken a service project to make a difference in the lives of others.

The Caywoods are the parish’s Confirmation teachers.

“As part of the Confirmation class, the youth learn about the Works of Mercy,” Jason said. “What better way to put their faith into action than through that?”

Because of pandemic restrictions, the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Group began with virtual gatherings.

“In our first meeting the kids started sharing all kinds of ideas for service projects to do,” Caywood said. That resulted in a schedule that filled 2021 with monthly services based in the Works of Mercy.

The seven Corporal Works of Mercy are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the prisoners, bury the dead and give alms to the poor.

The seven Spiritual Works of Mercy are counseling the doubtful, instructing the ignorant, admonishing the sinner, comforting the sorrowful, forgiving injuries, bearing wrongs patiently, and praying for the living and the dead.

The service projects based on the works of mercy “have helped the group – not just talking about the services/works; they are now actually living them,” Caywood said.

The group has 15 active members and others are currently eighth-graders who are interested in joining, Caywood said.

Last month the youth group held car washes to raise money for the Nixon Strong Foundation, a nonprofit based in South Jordan that helps local kids who are battling cancer.

“This is truly amazing and it brings tears to my eyes that these awesome kids did this in honor of Nixon and to give back,” said Nick Whatcott, founder of Nixon Strong Foundation, which was named after his son, who died at age 7 after a battle with osteosarcoma.

For June, the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Group is raising donations for Guatemalan Humanitarian Tours, an organization that helps children in Guatemala.

So now the youth “are not just talking about helping others, they are living the Gospel,” Caywood said.

Nowadays youth can easily get wrapped up in all the noise that is in the world, and the youth group is an outlet from that noise, he said.

“Making connections is really important for them, and the youth group is really making them,” Caywood said, adding that life always has “up and downs, and no matter what you are going through in your life, serving others always make it better.”

The group meets twice a month, once to do the service project and the other to talk about the past project and start the planning for the upcoming one.

For information about the St. Vincent de Paul Youth Group, contact Jason Caywood at Jason.Caywood @yahoo.com.